The disclosure relates to implementing distributed antenna systems (DAS), and more particularly to implementing a live DAS configuration from a virtual DAS design using an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) specific software system in a DAS.
Wireless customers are increasingly demanding wireless communications services, such as cellular communications services and Wi-Fi services. Thus, small cells, and more recently Wi-Fi services, are being deployed indoors. At the same time, some wireless customers use their wireless communication devices in areas that are poorly serviced by conventional cellular networks, such as inside certain buildings or areas where there is little cellular coverage. One response to the intersection of these two concerns has been the use of distributed antenna systems (DASs). A DAS usually includes a head-end unit (HEU) connected to remote equipment (e.g., remote access units (RAU), remote hub units (RHU), etc.) thereby creating antenna coverage areas for establishing communications with wireless client devices located therein. In particular, the RAUs are configured to receive and transmit communications signals to client devices within the antenna range of the RAUs. DASs can be particularly useful when deployed inside buildings or other indoor environments where the wireless communication devices may not otherwise be able to effectively receive radio frequency (RF) signals from a source.
In this regard, FIG. 1 illustrates a wireless distributed communications system (WDCS) 100 that is configured to distribute communications services to remote coverage areas 102(1)-102(N), where ‘N’ is the number of remote coverage areas. The WDCS 100 in FIG. 1 is provided in the form of a DAS 104. The DAS 104 can be configured to support a variety of communications services that can include cellular communications services, wireless communications services, such as RF identification (RFID) tracking, Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi), local area network (LAN), and wireless LAN (WLAN), wireless solutions (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi Global Positioning System (GPS) signal-based, and others) for location-based services, and combinations thereof, as examples. The remote coverage areas 102(1)-102(N) are created by and centered on RAUs 106(1)-106(N) connected to a centralized equipment 108 (e.g., a head-end controller, a central unit, or a head-end unit). The centralized equipment 108 may be communicatively coupled to a source transceiver 110, such as for example, a base transceiver station (BTS) or a baseband unit (BBU). In this regard, the centralized equipment 108 receives downlink communications signals 112D from the source transceiver 110 to be distributed to the RAUs 106(1)-106(N). The downlink communications signals 112D can include data communications signals and/or communication signaling signals, as examples. The centralized equipment 108 is configured with filtering circuits and/or other signal processing circuits that are configured to support a specific number of communications services in a particular frequency bandwidth (i.e., frequency communications bands). The downlink communications signals 112D are communicated by the centralized equipment 108 over a communications link 114 (e.g., one or more communication links) over their frequency to the RAUs 106(1)-106(N).
With continuing reference to FIG. 1, the RAUs 106(1)-106(N) are configured to receive the downlink communications signals 112D from the centralized equipment 108 over a communications link 114. The downlink communications signals 112D are configured to be distributed to the respective remote coverage areas 102(1)-102(N) of the RAUs 106(1)-106(N). The RAUs 106(1)-106(N) are also configured with filters and other signal processing circuits that are configured to support all or a subset of the specific communications services (i.e., frequency communications bands) supported by the centralized equipment 108. In a non-limiting example, the communications link 114 may be a wired communications link, a wireless communications link, or an optical fiber-based communications link. Each of the RAUs 106(1)-106(N) may include an RF transmitter/receiver (not shown) and a respective antenna 116(1)-116(N) operably connected to the RF transmitter/receiver to wirelessly distribute the communications services to user equipment (UE) 118 within the respective remote coverage areas 102(1)-102(N). The RAUs 106(1)-106(N) are also configured to receive uplink communications signals 112U from the UE 118 in the respective remote coverage areas 102(1)-102(N) to be distributed to the source transceiver 110.
Designers of DAS systems use third party software to create RF designs that provide recommended configurations for placement and settings of remote equipment (e.g., RAUs or RHUs). These RF designs are used by installers to perform initial installations of equipment for a DAS. This remote equipment include remote units, including remote access units that contains electronics (e.g., fiber transceivers, filters, power amplifiers, built in antenna(s) or port(s)) to connect the remote equipment to external antenna(s) that propagate RF signals. Among other things, the RF designs provide predicted output power per Wireless Operator (e.g., Wireless Carrier), and predicted individual channel powers for various Wireless Operator protocols or technologies (e.g., LTE, UMTS, CDMA, EVDo, GSM, etc.) at each remote device.
Once the RF design is complete, the DAS system installer and/or commissioner (e.g., who commission and/or optimize the DAS system) attempts to construct and/or commission the DAS system to closely match the RF design. The installer connects the remote equipment at or near the locations indicated in the design. The commissioner can calibrate settings for the DAS system components (e.g., remote equipment) per the manufacturer specific instructions. Placement and settings can be varied from the RF design according to the environment and experience of the commissioner. The commissioner integrates (e.g., connects) the equipment to distribute live signals (provided from wireless operator signal source equipment (and/or other equipment)) into DAS head-end components (e.g., the Radio Interface Module(s) (RIM), power conditioner(s), etc.). The commissioner also optimizes output power of the remote equipment (e.g., RAUs or RHUs) per the wireless operator technology and/or protocol.
The third party RF design software may allow designers to complete system designs that violate DAS manufacturer specific software and hardware configuration requirements. Such RF design errors can lead to unplanned delays and/or unplanned systems costs from an inability to implement the system as originally designed. For example, the installer and/or commissioner may be required to obtain additional components to complete DAS installation and/or commissioning. Further, the layout and location of the HEU and other components within the equipment racks and modules within the cassis are left to the discretion of the installer. The installer may mount and install system components in a way that is different than the intended design (whether or not properly documented by the designer). As a result, it may be required to re-rack equipment or reposition modules within the cassis, which could invalidate commissioning of the system. Further, the DAS system design may not include information regarding how to configure DAS manufacturer specific system components through DAS manufacturer specific software interfaces (e.g., web-accessible graphical user interface (GUI), local GUI, etc.). Thus, the commissioner may configure the DAS equipment settings in a suboptimal manner (e.g., signal(s) does not reach the intended remote location(s), RF propagated at unintended power levels, etc.).